The system also has potential for in-home use to assess patient progress following neurotraumas and as a rehabilitative tool to expand the reach of telemedicine. In addition, CMAS could possibly be used to differentiate and help diagnose diseases states, such as Parkinson's disease, at an early stage with sensitive assessments of fine movements, according to Reggie Edgerton, Ph.D., a professor of neurophysiology at UCLA and co-inventor of CMAS.

The CMAS system consists of a clinical assessment device and associated software that will allow health care providers to capture current and ongoing muscle and neuromotor functions, thereby providing them with quantifiable, real-time data for their decision-making.

Clinical trials will establish the viability of CMAS. It is anticipated that the system will provide clinical assessments of fine motor movement, gross muscle strength, hand-eye coordination and patient response to treatment. Closely captured repeat assessments will lead to early warning and detection of deteriorating conditions.

As a therapeutic aid and exercise device, CMAS provides quantifiable exercise regimes and valuable biofeedback to help patient rehabilitation. As a screening device, pre-surgical baselines can be compared to post-surgical outcomes Functional baselines can be established for Head and Spinal Cord injury, and neurologically challenged patients; closely captured repeat assessments may lead to early warning and detection of deteriorating conditions Movement disorders can be assessed and response to medication and treatment measured; pharmaceutical dosages can be readily adjusted

Medication non-compliance is dangerous and costly. Non-compliance causes 125,000 deaths annually in the US. It leads to 10 to 25 percent of hospital and nursing home admissions, and is becoming an international epidemic.

Sending and receiving text messages helps to solve medication non-compliance problems. Whereas social support can improve coping, promote health, and alleviate isolation and loneliness, and informational, emotional, and affirmative support from peers promotes adherence, receiving a text message to alert the patient provides a much longer lasting effect on compliance.